Community Foundations

Community foundations are grantmaking public charities that are dedicated to improving the lives of people in a defined local geographic area. They bring together the financial resources of individuals, families, and businesses to support effective nonprofits in their communities. Community foundations vary widely in asset size, ranging from less than $100,000 to more than $1.7 billion.

Community foundations play a key role in identifying and solving community problems. In 2017, they gave an estimated $5.48 billion to a variety of nonprofit activities in fields that included the arts and education, health and human services, the environment, and disaster relief. The Community Foundations National Standards Board confirms operational excellence in six key areas—mission, structure, and governance; resource development; stewardship and accountability; grantmaking and community leadership; donor relations; and communications. Foundations that comply with these standards can display the official National Standards Seal. Currently, over 500 community foundations have earned the seal.

More than 900 community foundations operate in urban and rural areas in every state in the United States; currently, approximately 350 are members of the Council on Foundations. The community foundation model also has taken hold around the world. Community foundations have participated in the growth of international giving by U.S. foundations in recent years, with international giving by community foundations more than tripling, from $103 million in 2011 to $315 million in 2015, and community foundations' share of overall international giving by U.S. foundations more than doubling, from 1.4 percent in 2011 to 3.4 percent in 2015.

You can use our Community Foundation Locator to view a list of community foundations in the United States.

Below is everything on our site for community foundations. We highly recommend that you use the navigation or our search feature to find what you're looking for on our site. Please also visit cof.org/community-foundations for curated community foundation content. 

Legal Basics for Community Foundations - Virtual - June 2026

Training HoursWednesday, June 3, 1-4 p.m. ETThis workshop will include:  An overview of the nonprofit universe including information about including 501(c)(3) organizations and the differences between public charities and private foundations.Introduction to the statues, tax codes, and legal…

Guidance Memorandum for Foundations for Interacting with Immigration Officials on their Property

Legal Compliance Guidance
Prepared by Leon Fresco, Partner at Holland & Knight LLP for the Council on Foundations | Finalized February 2026Download this guidance as a PDF.BackgroundThe purpose of this memo is to provide guidance to foundations for interacting with immigration agents on their property. Although there was…

Communications Toolkit for Working Across Differences

Developed in partnership with Hattaway Communications, this free toolkit draws on our national survey of 1,000 American adults, in-depth one-on-one interviews, and a landscape analysis to reveal how people view work to connect and collaborate across differences and the role that foundations should…

S.3554/H.R.6800 Bill Summary

Summary of H.R.6800/ S.3554 introduced by Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN) and Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT).Current LawIt is a criminal offense to provide “material support or resources” to a foreign terrorist organization. “Material support or resources” includes providing funding,…

Plus Member Peer Connections - March 2026

Technology systems play a critical role in supporting community foundation operations, ensuring data integrity, and enhancing donor services. CF Insights Plus Members are invited to this informal session to explore how community foundations use technology, including AI tools, to streamline internal…

Values-Aligned Philanthropy: Balancing Purpose, Responsibility, and Risk in Corporate Grantmaking

Toolkit
Values-Aligned Philanthropy: Balancing Purpose, Responsibility, and Risk in Corporate Grantmaking is centered on helping address the unique challenges faced today by corporate foundations. These organizations can be more vulnerable to external pressures than other grantmaker types, balancing their…

HR Philanthropy Collaborative - February 2026

This is a peer-led space designed to connect you with human resources leaders at foundations across the country. The group will build meaningful relationships, share resources, and provide a consistent opportunity to engage in collaborative troubleshooting in a trusted environment. Meeting every…

Community Philanthropy Update - January 2026

Here's what you can look forward to with National Standards in 2026, including a review committee to examine all 26 standards.

Coming Together, Not Apart: Publications

Publication
Coming Together, Not Apart, is a three-publication series exploring philanthropy's involvement in developing the heartset, mindset, and skillset to lead collaboratively across differences. Specifically:Part 1: How Philanthropy Supports Connection in a Time of Dangerous DivisionComing…

Washington Snapshot: Foundations on the Hill

Foundations on the Hill 2026 arrives at a pivotal moment for the philanthropic sector. Plus, new legislation targeting nonprofits, federal government funding, and more.

Community Foundation Trends: Highlights from the CF Insights FY24 Annual Survey

Join us as we unpack the findings from the CF Insights FY24 Annual Survey, and hear how peers across the country leverage detailed community foundation business model data to make informed decisions on how to inform their own operations.David Rosado, Senior Advisor for Community Philanthropy, will…

Better Stories, Better Language: A Communications Workshop Series 2026

After a year of research, the Council and the University of Florida’s Center for Public Interest Communications released “Philanthropy’s New Voice: Building Trust With Deeper Stories and Clear Language" in April 2024. As the largest study of narratives in philanthropy, it offers science-backed…

Coming Together, Not Apart: Building the Hearts, Minds, and Skills for Leading Across Differences

Publication
Coming Together, Not Apart: Building the Hearts, Minds, and Skills for Leading Across Differences is the third of three Council on Foundations publications exploring philanthropy's involvement in developing the heartset, mindset, and skillset to lead collaboratively across differences. It discusses…

Scholarship Exchange: Peer Event

This peer space is curated for foundation staff that manage and lead scholarship programs, designed to be informal, peer-led conversations with fellow foundation staff (of all types) to share best practices and explore common challenges in scholarship programs. Whether you are new to managing…

Scholarship Exchange: Peer Event

This peer space is curated for foundation staff that manage and lead scholarship programs, designed to be informal, peer-led conversations with fellow foundation staff (of all types) to share best practices and explore common challenges in scholarship programs. Whether you are new to managing…

Scholarship Exchange: Peer Event and Book Club

This peer space is curated for foundation staff that manage and lead scholarship programs, designed to be informal, peer-led conversations with fellow foundation staff (of all types) to share best practices and explore common challenges in scholarship programs. Whether you are new to managing…
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